Did You Know
by Cat or Catherine aka Flute
Summary: One random, crazy girl is selected to participate in the Hunger Games. But then, she discovers the boy from her district, the one she is supposed to betray, is going to be harder than she thought to kill. Rated T for Ember and Alex :
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Catherine Rosethorne," the crisp-looking woman in the dress suit that has come to read off the names at the reaping booms over the crowd in her stupid Capitol accent.

My jaw almost hits the floor as I hear my name and realize what is happening. I blink a couple times, then gulp and set my jaw, bracing myself for the worst, as I take the stage.

I see my friend Ember, her eyes wide with fear, biting her lip, the hurt in her eyes. She is fourteen, a past survivor of the so-called "Games" we are all forced to endure. She is the big sister I never had.

I fix my eyes on her, hold her gaze with a look of fiery determination that says, _You know me. I won't back down. I'll survive. For your sake._

When she nods and looks away, my breath catches in my throat, and my gaze meets the floor, ashamed.

I'm already making promises I can't keep.

As the Capitol woman with her enhanced features asks for volunteers, I look toward the sky.

_Mama... Father_... _Wherever you are... Please just know I love and miss you more than words can say, and please... Please watch over me... Give me strength. _

I look out at the crowd again, my breath catching in my throat again, tears threatening to spill over. No one has volunteered, although there is an unsteady murmur among the District 3 crowd. Of course, I'm twelve, and they don't see it fit for a little one like me to be thrown into an arena to fight to the death.

I quickly wipe my eyes. I can't cry now. Not with so many cameras trained on me.

Then Ember does something truly wonderful.

She begins to sing my favorite song as a little girl, her high-pitched, clear and beautiful voice dancing along the verses. This is why her nickname is "Mockingjay".

"_Hear the wind whisper ever softly _

_Through the sky-reaching pines,_

_See the leaves gently sway,_

_Breathe in the fragant scent of lilies_

_Coming from someplace far away..."_

It's very old, really; written way before my time. So as soon as the rest of the crowd recognizes it, they begin to sing along, until all you hear is the sound of hundreds and hundreds of voices united joyously through song.

"_These are the joys of today,_

_So hold them close,_

_Never allow them to slip away._

_These days you will forever remember_

_The greatest days of your life."_

I can't help it; this time I do cry. Only a couple of tears, though. I give a warm smile to the audience."Thank you... Thank you all so much."

Ember smiles in that only-one-corner-of-her-mouth way she has, and I smile back.

"That was my favorite song as a child," I explain, flipping my jet-black emo-style bangs out of my shining emerald eyes.

The Capitol woman looks quite annoyed. "Well, then. Time to announce our boy tribute!" she sings.

I bite my lip. Who will I have to betray? Turn against? Quite literally stab in the back?

She crosses to the boys' ball and produces a single slip of paper from it, glancing at it furtively. "Motris Wolf."

My stomach does a somersault. I'm sure my eyes are as big as golf balls.

Anyone but Motris, my secret crush for about five years now.

His face darkens and he shoves his hands into his jean pockets, making his way to the stage.

Shaggy light brown hair that flopped just the right way over laughing, intensely gorgeous, pale blue eyes; almost clear.

It's him, all right.

I bite my lip and hide my face behind one glossy curtain of my hair, thanking God it was long enough.

Great. Now I have to murder the hottest guy I ever laid eyes on. This will _not_ be easy.


	2. Chapter 2

Eventually the ceremony ends and Motris and I are lead into the District 3 Justice Building by a group of the strictest, most law-enforcing Peacekeepers in the whole district.

Motris is lead off in one direction; I, another.

The Peacekeepers lead me into a plush room and stand at attention for a moment, saluting me, then turn and march stiffly back down the hall.

I take a seat on my little plush couch, trying not to have a panic attack.

Surprisingly, my first visitor is Motris' own brother, Rye Wolf.

He ambles into the room and cocks an eyebrow my direction, then proceeds to get closer and closer to me until his face is just centimeters away from my own.

My heart skips at least three beats.

Rye is devastatingly handsome. Maybe even more so than Motris. I had never really noticed it before, because I only really see him in the halls at school, and I only give him glances. But now I see it.

The gorgeous, wide and michievious golden eyes that give him that childish facade, the slightly wavy, tousled but neat, jet-black hair, same length and style as Motris'.

Rye grins. "Good luck, Cat. When you win, I'll have a big, steamy apple pie with your name on it."

Now it's my turn to grin. "All right, who told you I love apple pie?"

He smiles. "Lucky guess."

Then this beautiful creature does something totally unexpected.

He continues to smile shyly, eyes burning into mine, and slowly leans more and more toward me, parting his lips ever so slightly, pulling me in.

And my head is like, _Erm. What?_

But I do have to admit I kind of enjoy it, and soon Rye pulls away, grinning michieviously, making his way over to the Peacekeepers that now stand at the door, waiting. "Here's hoping that pair of lips makes it home."

I blush deeply and look at the floor. So now, I had a possible boyfriend.

I have many more visitors, from sweet, slightly hyper Ember to my parents.

That visit is particularly vexing.

My mother bursts into the room, flinging her arms about me. She's in tears, and it's all I can do not to start crying myself.

My father extends his arms, and I take a running start and jump into them, just like I did as a little girl.

I tell them I love them, and that they must promise to be strong, because if I die, it's what I would want.

And then the Peacekeepers come, signaling our time is up, and they're squeezing the life out of me and telling me they love me and I'm saying it back.

And then they leave. And even though I'm terrified, even though I know I'm going to die, I musn't cry now.

A few hours later, Motris and I are on a tribute train headed to the Capitol. The Capitol woman, whose name, I've learned, is Wisteria Wildflower, sits across from me, looking out the window.

Four out of seven past survivors from District 3 were selected to be our mentors for the Games, and now they sit across from Wisteria, fidgeting nervously. Two girls and two boys. Catarina, Kathleen, Gray and Mahael.

Kathleen and Catarina must be related, because they have the same deep silver eyes that seem to hold thousands of years of knowledge. Catarina has long, naturally curly blonde hair, while Kathleen has jet-black, sleek, naturally straight hair cut to her jawline.

Gray has shaggy, light orange hair and cerulean eyes, and his smile lights up the room.

Mahael looks shy, gazing at the floor, dirty blond hair flopping slightly over his emerald eyes.

Soon, a Capitol attendant who is strangely silent (Wisteria tells me they're called Avoxes), a young man with glasses and hazel eyes, sweeps into the room and stands at attention, meaning it's time for supper.

Supper passes rather uneventfully. We make small talk. No one eats much.

Finally, we are sent off to bed early, because the opening ceremonies are to start tomorrow.

But on the way to my room, Motris calls me and jerks his head toward the door that leads to the roof.

"We need to talk."

I follow him out onto the roof, where hopefully, no one can witness our conversation.

We stand awkwardly for a while, looking down on the dark city below, until Motris unexpectedly puts his arm around me.

I blush and look down, but he raises my chin so that his eyes are burning into my own.

I'm about to tell him _No, don't, not here... not now, _when he leans closer inch by inch and, still holding my chin so I can't possibly avoid it, presses his lips to mine.

And it's the most wonderful thing I've ever experienced. It's full of passion, longing... love.

And so I stand there, eyes wide open because it caught me totally by surprise. Then, they start to slowly flutter closed.

And in this moment I feel safe, protected.

I realize I don't want him to stop.

Then Motris pulls away, ever so slowly, and I think, _Did I really just get kissed by a fourteen-year-old?_

He's still holding my chin gently, and as Motris gazes intently into my eyes, I blink a couple of times and can't really form a coherent thought.

Motris slides his hand out from under my chin and casts his eyes downward, avoiding eye contact.

"Sorry. I'm just... being selfish," he mutters.

I blush deeply and look away also. "It's fine."

Although it isn't. I want to know what that was. Is he in love with me...? No. Not possible...

I start to turn away and walk back to my room, but Motris protests. "No. Please... stay with me."

And somehow I end up fast asleep with my head on his chest.


End file.
